THE RUSSIAN SOUL: A literary and musical program

Musicians: Noé Inui, violin; Vassilis Varvaresos, piano; Chiara Tissen, actress

If at all there is such a thing as a Russian soul or voice, we find it in art. In this program you will hear a variety of voices.

From the meek story of Paustovsky’s old cook to Mandelstam’s indictments, Akhmatova’s Requiem and of course work by their great example (and also exile in tsarist Russia) Alexander Pushkin.

What unites these writers and poets is their love for their country, not to be confused with the often misused concept of patriotism. It is surprising how many of them – throughout the ages in times of hardship and dictatorship – did not leave their homeland and continued to write. Their Heimat, their culture and especially their language, made them decide not to leave. Some, like Paustovsky, in a more or less subservient way trying to make the best of it and always willing to help persecuted art brothers. Others, such as Anna Akhmatova or Ossip Mandelstam protesting underground, with risk of their own lives, but with a deep-rooted love for their country and their language.

In this program, Noé and Vassilis will perform the following works, interspersed with stories and poems, spoken by actress Chiara Tissen.

• Prokoviev: Sonate nr. 1 in f
• Prokoviev: Five Melodies op. 35
• N. Roslavets: Sonate for violin and piano, nr. 1 or 4